Let us see to it that there is nothing else about our person or character which may bring the gospel into discredit. We have heard of a wonderful preacher, of whom they said that he preached so well and lived so badly, that when he was in the pulpit, they thought he ought never to come out of it; but when he was out of the pulpit, they changed their minds, and sorrowfully concluded that he ought never to go into it again. Every man should be clean-it is a natural, sanitary duty; but there is a special precept which says, "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord", and this relates to moral and spiritual character. An unholy minister is unclean with a vengeance. Prominent persons are looked at through microscopes. The more light you have, the more will your faults be shown up and observed.

Charles Spurgeon, Sermons in Candles, Lecture 2. Available on the web.

[Lord, not one of us is worthy to preach your word, and all of us belie the truths that we preach through our lives. For your name's sake, work through our spoken words in spite of us, and sanctify us in your truth, so that our lives might more and more reflect your character to those you entrust to our care. Amen -- Coty]